Brew Day: Missing Iodine

[jlc767]

Well it's Saturday and Im about to start my first AG brew... And I just realized I don't have my tincture of iodine! Is there any other way to check for the conversion of starches to sugars or will I be forced to wait until it arrives!?

help!

 

[marubozo]

You don't need to do an iodine test by any means. It's kind of handy to get a quick idea of how your mash is doing, but a lot of people don't bother with it at all. If you are using the right amount of mash water at the proper temps and for 60 minutes, you're going to get a pretty good conversion regardless. So, if you want to brew, just go for it today and then do an iodine test on the next brew if you want.

 

[samc]

Out of habit I sometimes do the test. I've never had a mash not convert by 45 minutes.

So a big +1


btw - you should be tasting your wort at all stages and eventually you just know by taste when it's done.

 

[Yooper]

I agree with the others. It's helpful to do an iodine test on your first few brews (especially if you post in a month that the beer is cloudy- the first thing we'll ask you is if you had starch conversion! ) but don't worry about it if you don't have it. If you have a nice wife who will run to the drugstore to get some, that'd be great, but if not you'll be fine.

If you mash for at least 60 minutes, and your pH is in an ok range, you'll have conversion.

 

[jlc767]

Hey guys quick question... Am I stirring at all while mashing? Or just stirring during sparging? Or both? Thx!

 

[marubozo]

Really, as long as all your grain is stirred up real good from the start, you don't really need to stir it again during the mash (assuming you're doing a single infusion). Some people like to give it a stir once or twice during the mash, but it really isn't needed and all you'll probably end up doing is losing some heat.

Once you add your sparge water, then you do want to make sure you stir it very well to assist in getting the residual sugars dissolved.

 

[jlc767]

Quick question... When to add maltodextrine during my boil?